Jim Maple, Sr.

2011

Jim S. Maple served on the Oklahoma Christian University Board of Trustees for most of the institution’s existence. A very successful owner of a Chevrolet dealership in Antlers, Oklahoma, Maple was selected as a trustee in 1951, and he served until his death in 1996. He served as an officer of OC’s board at various times, and frequently he chaired or served on the committee to select new trustees or to nominate officers for the board.

During the time when the school was considering the move from Bartlesville to Oklahoma City, Maple was a strong advocate of the move because it located the college closer to the region where there were more churches and more families thinking about higher education for their children. As always, Maple was a peacemaker who often mediated differences among trustees or negotiated to resolve issues that threatened to divide the board.

As a great lover of the church, Maple consistently supported the efforts to strengthen Bible teaching, to require all students to take Bible courses throughout their studies, and to encourage men to prepare for careers in serving the church as preachers and ministers. His passion for the church always made him a strong advocate of Christian education and especially OC, where he invested much of his time and energy.